Robot DJs: Good For Clubs, Terrible For Fans

UPDATE: This source for this post, EDM Nightlife, was a satirical/untrue piece that had no explicit indication of falsehood. It wasn’t until after some research we found it out to be fiction. We apologize, this is not a true occurrence. However, the fact still stands that this would be my opinion if something like this were to happen. So if there are any club promoters out there thinking of getting HAL 9000 to DJ your next club night, please reconsider.

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This is a pretty serious issue that could be getting more and more recognition, so I’m going to start with the facts and then go from there before I make myself mad again.

A club called “Fame” in Austin, TX has requisitioned the help of Texas robotics and programming experts in order to create a “robot” DJ that will boost the club’s profit. How? By targeting three different zones of the club: the bathroom, dancefloor, and bar. The system apparently analyzes traffic patterns between these zones and maximizes the number of people at the bar at all times by varying the type of music it plays. Line at the bathroom too long? It will play a slower tempo track.

Spokesperson Linda Howard stated “Our mission is to create the absolute perfect experience for the nightclub management, while still maintaining the simple “Push-Button” experience patrons are used to in major clubs. This is the perfect DJ Paris Hilton experience, except better.” First off, we never wanted a DJ Paris Hilton. Ever. No, seriously. That’s just silly. Second, the whole “push-button” experience? Have they seen/heard of the backlash that “DJ”s like David Guetta have received for apparently playing unplugged?

There is an option in the works for club attendees to be able to basically request songs. Pay $20 and request a list of (pre-approved) songs, even if they were played 20 minutes ago. So expect to hear “Animals” and “Levels” and “Tsunami” about 10 times that night.

Now, to a club owner, these all sound like incredible things. Maximize profits, decrease overhead, draw in a larger crowd – great.

To a fan, these are things that could quickly kill the industry. We don’t go to shows to just roll and have a good time.

Supporting up-and-coming producers, who open for bigger names, is one of the most influential ways that names get big in the first place. It wasn’t so long ago that acts like Krewella, Seven Lions or Porter Robinson were opening for bigger names. Now, those same producers are getting tours of their own, and other producers get the privilege of opening for them.

A robot in EDM isn’t that different from what we already have in terms of pure Top 40 playlists from the likes of Afrojack or Guetta, but let’s remember that the road to success didn’t start with machinery, it started with pure human brawn and intellect. If this club wants to remove the human aspect of DJ’ing, by all means, go ahead. But don’t expect the novelty to last for very long. Word will get out, and people will realize that your main goal is to make a profit to the detriment of the experience, and then where will you be? No self-respecting DJ will play at a club where they can’t take their tour along because DJ POTPAL has to play a set.

Lover of all bass music. I'm not afraid to speak my mind and put it to paper, and I do it often. I call Los Angeles my home, there's no better place for emerging EDM. Get in touch with me more via email or Twitter.